It’squitetrueI’mtubby,infactmyupperhalfisalmostexactlytheshapeofatub.Butwhat’siing,Ithink,isthatmerelybecauseyouhappetlebitfat,almostanyone,evenatotal,stranger,willtakeitfraogiveyouaniamethat’saninsultingentonyourpersonalappearance.Supposeachapwasahunchbackorhadasquintorahare-lip—wouldyougivehimaniametoremindhimofit?Buteveryfatman’slabelledasamatterofcourse.I’mthetypethatpeopleautomaticallyslaponthebadpuntheribs,andnearlyallofthemthinkIlikeit.InevergointothesaloonbaroftheatPudley(Ipassthatwayonceaweekonbusiness)withoutthatassWaters,whotravelsfortheSeafoamSoappeoplebutwho’smoreorlessapermanenthesaloonbarofthe,proddiheribsandsingingout‘HereasheerhulkliespoorTomBowling!’whichisajokethebloodyfoolsinthebartiredof.Watershasgotafingerlikeabarofiron.Theyallthinkafatmahaveanyfeelings.

    Theercialtookanotherofmymatches,topickhisteethwith,andchuckedtheboxback.Thetrainwhizzedontoanire.DownbelowIgotaglimpseofabaker’svanandalongstringoflorriesloadedwitht.Thequeerthing,Iwasthinking,isthatinawaythey’rerightaboutfatmen.It’safactthatafatman,particularlyamanwho’sbeenfatfrombirth—fromchildhood,that’stosay—isn’tquitelikeothermen.Hegoesthroughhislifeonadifferentplane,asortoflight-edyplahoughinthecaseofblokesinside-showsatfairs,orinfayowentystoisn’tsomuchlightedyaslowfarce.I’vebeenbothfatandthininmylife,andIknowthedifferenessmakestoyouroutlook.Itkindofpreventsyoufromtakingthingstoohard.Idoubtwhetheramanwho’sneverbeenanythingbutfat,amanwho’sbeencalledFattyeversincehecouldwalk,evenknowsoftheexis